Propeller mounting for aeroplanes and the like



June 20, 1933. s s v K s 1,914,763

PROPELLER MOUNTING FOR AEROPLANES AND THE LIKE Filed June 5 1931 a w I 10 24 22 Patented June 20, 1933 A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPIROS S. VARKAS, OF NEW YORK, 11'. Y.

Application filed June 5, 1931.

the propeller shaft and arranged for communicating all pulling and other stresses to the crank casing of the motor, with means for connecting the propeller shaft and the crank shaft together for the transmission of,

rotation only.

It is conventional to mount the propeller of an aeroplane upon the crank shaft of the driving motors. Some of the most frequent troubles in motors are developed due to the pulling of the propeller upon the crank shaft. No matter how strong a motor may be originally built, the shaft cannot stand the continual pull of the propeller, which pull carries the entire aeroplane and in addition the" other stresses due to the rotation of the shaft.

'3 The continuous pull loosens the crank shaft so that it may move slightly longitudinal. When the engine reaches this condition'numerous troubles develop particularly with the operation of the pistons within the cylinders causing excessive friction and the like. Engines constructed in accordance with my invention eliminate this defect.

A further and specific object of my invention is the provision of novel means for forming the crank case of theengine and for mounting the propeller shaft on a part of the crank casing of the engine, whereb said part can be conveniently and qulc y .removed from the remaining crank case of the engine so as to facilitate repairs to the propeller shaft as well as to the crank shaft.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an'improved device of the above character, which will be durable and eflicient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction,

60 arrangement and formation of parts, as Wlll Serial No. 542,454.

be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an aeroplane motor constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing the part of the crank case carrying the propeller shaft removed from the remaining part of the crank case.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view ofv a modified form of the invention showing the part of the crank case carrying the propeller shaft removed from the lower part of the crank casing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the propeller mounting for the aeroplane and the like consists of a crank casin 10 of a conventional motor having a cran shaft 11. One end of this shaft has onl been illustrated. The crank casing, in accor ance with my invention, is provided with a detachable section 12. Studs 13, cap bolts or similar fastening elements project from the main portion of the crank casing and engage through apertures the flanges formed on the detachable section and these cap bolts serve to hold the detachable section in place. It is to be noted that the main part 10 of the crank case is likewise provided with flanges for receiving the detachable part 12, and that said detachable part 12 also embodies a depending apron portion 14, which engages over the front end of the main part 10 of the crank case.

A shaft 15 for carrying the propeller 16 is rotatably mounted in the detachable section 12. The rotatin mounting of the shaft 15 is accomplished y bearings 17 spaced from each other and mounted on the detachable section 12. These bearings should preferably be of the type having adjustable blocks permitting of proper alignment. One of the bearings 17 is carried by the front wall of the removable part 12 of the crank case and the other bearing is carried by a depending Ill) transmission of rotation only.

partition plate 18 formed on said detachable part 12.

The end of the crank shaft 11 is shown rotatably mounted in bearings 19 mounted in the main part of the crank casing 10. One of these hearings is supportedby a partition 20 of the crank casing 10 and the other upon the end of .saidcrank casing. It is to be noted that the meeting ends of the partitions 18 and 20 abut one another.

A means is provided for connecting the propeller shaft 15 and the crank shaft 11 for This means in the present instance consists of a spur gear 21 on a propeller shaft 15 meshing with a second spur gear 22 keyed or otherwise secured to the crank shaft 11. It is pointed out that the propeller shaft 15 after some wear may move slightly longitudinally under the pull of the propeller 16, but such motion will not be transmitted from the crank shaft 11, and no appreciable effects will occur due to the width of the engaging spur gears 21 and 22. Thus the thrust bearings 17 supported on the detachable section 12 of the crank case constitute the means for rotatably supporting the propeller shaft and capable of communicating all pulling. and other stresses to the crank casing.

It is obvious that other means besides the spur gears 21 and 22 can be employed for connecting the shafts 11 and 15 together, such as friction gears, helical gears, sprocket wheels and chains, etc.

The gears 21 and 22 are keyed to the respective shafts 15 and 26 so that the gears may be changed for the purpose of changing their ratio and the speed of the propeller shaft.

It is obvious from my construction that should it become necessary to replace the propeller shaft 15 or to make repairs to the crank shaft 11, that it is merely necessary to removethe bolts 13 and take the detachable section 12 entirely off of the engine, as shown in Figure 3. Obviously repairs can be readily I made to the propeller shaft or the whole shaft renewed.

In Figure 4 there is shown a modified form of my invention wherein the crank shaft 23 is provided with a squared socket 24 to re- .ceive the removable squared shank 25 of the 1. A propeller mounting for aeroplanes, comprising a shaft for carrying a propeller and separate from the crank shaft of a motor for driving the propeller, a motor for driving said propeller and having a casing and a crank shaft, means for rotatably supporting the propeller shaft and arranged for communicating all pulling and other stresses to the casing, and means for connecting the propeller shaft and the crank shaft for the transmission of rotations only, said casing having an opening therein to permit access to the crank shaft, a removable section normally closing said opening and said propeller shaft being mounted upon this section and bodily movable with said removable section.

2. In a device of the character described, an engine crank case, a crank shaft having its forward end rotatably mounted'in the forward end of the crank casing, a detachable section bolted to the crank casing having a depending apron overlying the bearings, a propeller shaft rotatably supported solely by the removable section and bodily movable with said removable section when detached from said crank case, and means connecting the crank shaft and propeller shaft together for the transmission of rotation only.

3. In a device of the character described, an engine crank case its forward end rotatably mounted in the forward end of the crank casing, a detachable section bolted to the crank casing having a depending apron overlying the bearings, a propeller shaft rotatably supported solely by the removable section, means connecting the crank shaft and propeller shaft together for the transmission of rotation only, and said crank shaft being formed of a plurality of sections removably connected together to facilitate the removal of said crank shaft from said crank case.

4. A propeller mounting for aeroplanes and the like comprising a main casing, a crank shaft supported thereby, said casing having an open portion to permit access to said crank shaft, a propeller shaft driven from said crank shaft, a removable casing supporting said propeller shaft, said removable casing normally closing said open portion and permitting access to the interior of said casing and to said crankshaft when said removable casing is detached from said main casing, said propeller shaft being bodily removable with said removable casing.

5. A propeller mounting for aeroplanes and the like comprising a main casing, having a crank shaft containing a compartment, said casing having an open end portion to permit communication with said crank shaft containing compartment, a propeller shaft, means carried within said main casing for driving said propeller shaft, and a removable casing carrying said propeller shaft and removably se ured to said main casing for normally a crank shaft havingv closing the open end portion of said main casing, and adapted to be bodily lifted from said main casing for removing said propeller shaft from engagement with said driving 5 means for permitting access to the interior of the crank shaft containing compartment of said main casing.

6. A propeller mounting for aeroplanes and the like comprising a main casing, a main driving shaft carried thereby, a propeller shaft, means for connecting said propeller shaft with said main driving shaft for imparting movement to said propeller shaft and permitting said propeller shaft to be bodily moved from engagement with said driving shaft, said main casing having an ppening to permit access to the main driving shaft from the exterior of said casing, and a removable casing detachably secured to said main easing, said removable casing supporting said propeller shaft in removable driving engagement with said main shaft for permitting said propeller shaft to be bodily removed from engagement with said drive shaft to permit the free access to the interior of said main casing for the purpose of replacing the working parts mounted within said main casing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. SPIROS S. VARKAS. 

